7 Christmas Cookie Decorating Ideas

Anne from In Residence is back and we’re so happy to have her. Today she is talking all things essential for a super cute holiday cookie decorating party! We absolutely love how this sweet shin-dig turned out

One of my favorite holiday season traditions is baking and decorating Christmas cookies, and in recent years I’ve turned it into a great excuse to have a gathering with friends. I love how a cookie decorating party allows you to talk with friends, do a creative activity, and eat some delicious treats all at the same time. Plus, it works great for a whole range of people, from couples to families with kids to just the ladies, because everyone can do this and have fun at it too! If you’ve tried a variety of fun Christmas party themes over the years, hosting a cookie decorating party can be a nice change of pace.

This year I invited some old college friends over for an afternoon of cookie decorating, and we had a great time catching up and getting into the holiday spirit with plenty of sprinkles.

All you need in order to host a Christmas cookie decorating party is some cutout cookies baked ahead of time (try out my favorite Christmas cookie recipe), along with some icing and sprinkles. But there are some other things you can do to sweeten up your party!

Check out these 7 Christmas cookie decorating party ideas:

Send out some holiday party invitations ahead of time and use them as the theme for your party. I went with a color scheme of red, white, and kraft paper brown, along with festive phrases in script font. You can let guests know that this is a cookie decorating party so they come prepared.

Make the table festive by covering it with a roll of holiday gift wrapping paper. Not only does it look great, but it makes cleaning up after your cookie party much easier! You can also put out a plate for each person to decorate on top of, to catch the sprinkle overflow.

Counteract all that sugar with some drinks and salty snacks. If you’re doing an evening party, putting out a big pot of chili or soup makes for a cozy and fun gathering too! You’ll want to provide savory foods or small bites to give guests a break from all of the sugar cookie frenzy.

Of course there should be Christmas music playing for your guests to listen to when they’re hard at work. Throw in your favorite Christmas CD or stream a Christmas playlist you find online to get everyone in the cookie decorating mood.

Send everyone home with a cookie cutter party favor or a Christmas tin for storing their cookies. This is something they can use for years to come, when they throw decide to throw their own Christmas cookie decorating party!

This is an important one! Have boxes or bags on hand so your guests can take home their cookie creations and share with their families. Secure the box or bag shut with some festive Christmas ribbon, twine, or holiday gift tags for an extra special touch.